This invention relates to a normal force measuring gauge and, more particularly, to a force gauge for measuring the normal force that would be exerted by the beams of a female electrical connector on the sides of the pins of a male connector.
With the advent of electrical connectors for use with microchips it is becoming necessary to ensure that the insertion force required for inserting the pins of a male connector into the receptacles of a female connector be carefully regulated. A high normal force will cause a high insertion force while a low normal force can cause a loss of contact integrity. To achieve this, the elements or beams of the female connector must exert or be adjusted to exert a precise amount of a normal force against the sides of the male connect pin. Thus, during production of the connectors, it is necessary to measure this normal force exerted by each female connector receptacle. Such measurements are not easily accomplished since the pins such as those used in the high pin count connector systems are quite small, typically 0.025 inches (0.9635 cm) square. Thus, any measuring mechanism which is inserted into the female receptacle must of necessity be relatively tiny and yet must be precisely held and manipulated so as to measure the exact components of the normal force of the connector beams and not any extraneous forces. It is particularly difficult to measure such normal forces, for example, without measuring the weight of the measuring elements.